[Treatment of children with acute stenosing laryngotracheitis during prolonged tracheal intubation]

Abstract

Therapy of acute decompensated forms of laryngotracheitis in children has not been well developed. The mortality rate as a result of asphyxia reaches 10 to 52%. The present authors were able to reduce significantly the number of hazardous complications and lethal outcomes when treating 32 children with acute decompensated forms of laryngotracheitis (only one patient died). This was achieved by using prolonged (from 6 hrs to 19 days) intubation of the trachea, intensive medicine and physical therapy methods. Special attention was given to intubation tubes and drugs used. The postintubation course was smooth and no complications in the trachea were seen after treatment.